Albariño Tapas — Restaurant in Thanet

I passed Albarino over many years, on my walks around town as it has such a significant front. Last month was rough for us and we needed an evening out. I phoned to book a table, but was told that was not an option. I dutifully booked a table online paying my £5 deposit per person to secure my table for the night. A nice early 6.30pm table for two. We seemed to be their first customer for the evening with another couple following shortly behind us.

They offer a small menu of tapas and sherries. they have just had a price drop and you get 3 dishes for £23.50. This still equate to almost £8 a dish. We arrived and I gave my name and we were escorted to our table, The waitress was very lovely, informative and didn't mind us asking too many questions.

We had the potato Bravas, hummus, tortilla, goat's cheese, salted cod and the octopus, It was very nicely presented and served. The dishes are distinctly different from other tapas I have tried. The Bravas was more like rustic roast potatoes. They didn't have the fiery hit I was expecting. I could have done with some more breadsticks with my hummus. The other dishes were very tasty but the octopus was overcooked and should have been a larger dish. We tried about 5 different sherries to complement the meal.

Now here is where it turns dark, I want to use a 90's word Gobsmacked. We had just finished our plates and the second waitress was clearing up and gave us our bill. I asked here why she had given it to us and she said she thought we had finished. I told her we hadn't and I ordered another drink. It must have taken her about 5 mins to produce this glass of Sherry. When she returned, she had another bill for us. I explained again that we haven't finished. She told us that the table was booked after us and we would have to leave. She needed time to clear the table. The Restaurant was empty apart from the other couple and a group of 6 that came in. They didn't even ask if we would like to sit by the bar. they didn't wait for the other party who need this table to turn up. They literally told us we had 5 mins before we had to leave as she needed to clear down the table.

This is disgusting behavior and completely ruined my evening and night. It made us feel so unwelcome, like the dirt on someone's shoe. I have smelt up places before but never have I been so unceremoniously told it was time to go at 8pm. On going back to discuss it, we were told, if we came back we could get a free drink.

Shame on you Albarino that your Spanish hospitality seems extinct. And shame on our second waitress, who was young and has some way to go to hone her skills. I hope when you spend that tip you automatically added to the bill, you think of me fondly.

If you do decide to eat there, make sure you ask them how long you can stay and enjoy their hospitality. We spent £130 there and was willing to spend more as we were enjoying our evening.

Shame on...

We had booked a table for a special occasion about a week before. When we arrived our table had four seats (there were two of us) and two people were already sat at the table. I said when we booked I assumed it would be our own table and they said no, this is the layout of the resturant. When I asked for our own table they said no and offered us a place sat at the bar which we said no to. Being a Saturday night most other places would have been fully booked so We sat down with the two strangers which was very awkward, couldn't really relax and had to speak very quietly to each other and to top it off the table was right next to the toilet. The food was nice but over priced for what it was. I won't be returning as I don't expect to have to sit with strangers and hear people using the toilet while trying to eat! Especially when I had pre booked a week before. Very...

Have eaten here many time because I like the way the chef combines unusual flavours with a Spanish twist. However, I doubt I will be returning. The reason is, when I returned the Gambas Rojas because the stench of 'gone off' prawns was so strong (and baring in mind prawns are my favourite dish and I've eaten them in every way, in many places so I'd like to think I wasn't a fussy prawn customer), the staff couldn't care less. I spoke to 2 waitresses about the fact I was unable to eat the very expensive dish and both gave a very unresponsive reply that said they couldn't care less and neither would the chef, just give us your money and go. Not once did they offer the chef to make an alternative dish or anything. It felt like I was part of the fast show! Just pay the bill and clear the table for the...